Propeller shaft mounting



Aprilyzs, 1939.

J. A. NYLAND PROPELLER SHAFT MOUNTING Filed July 20, 1938 Patented Apr. 2s, 1939 155,953

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,155,953 PROPELLER SHAFT MOUNTING John Arthur Nyland, Flint, Mich., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Delaware Application July 20, 1938, Serial No. 220,301 8 Claims. (Cl. 18o-85) This invention relates to motor vehicles and to the axle housing near the wheels and at the more particularly to the running gear and drive front are joined to a bracket I2 welded to the assembly. In automotive design the present front end of the torque tube I3 enclosing the trend is toward the use o1' sectional propeller drive shaft 8 and constituting the rear axle third shafts with a center bearing supported on the member. chassis frame, the present invention having for At the front of the torque tube assembly a rollits object the provision of an improved mounting er bearing I 4 supports the shaft 8 and beyond which includes a two-way adjustment for propthe bearing is secured an axle thrust transmiterly centering and locating the parts and a cushting ball member I 5 itted to a mating ball memion for insulating the frame from the running ber on the rear of the tube 4 for accommodating lo l5 closed in the accompanying drawing wherein venience of assembly the torque .ball member 15 enlarged sectional view taken on line 3 3 of interiorly of the ball member I5. I'he bolts I8 20 parts shown in Figure 3. fitted exteriorly of the ball member I5, In- The drawing shows the application of the instead of having the metal surfaces of the torque vention to the torque tube type of drive employed ball joint slidably engaging one another there on Buick automobiles for the purpose of illusmay be interposed an isolating liner 20 of m 25 tration and it will be understood that the mountber or the like. ,n ing will be useful in other installations and with For mounting the torque ball on the chassisthe various types of running gear. The chassis retainer I9 carries apair of rearwardly proframe is of the weil known X-type and includes jecting arms 2I-2I on opposite sides of the a pair of longitudinal channels I-I with cross shaft center line in divergently related planes 30 ventional manner and preferably is insulated and outer metal tubes 2'4 and 25, the inner tube through the use of suitable rubber mountings. having threaded engagement with the mount- Enclosed by the hollow tube 4 and slidably ing stud 22. If desired the rubber may be pre- 40 splined to the power plan-t output shaft is the loaded between the tubes and preferably it is 5 to a diiierential enclosed within an axle housing rubber collar and the other end has an out- 45 opening in the frame bar 2. A series of fastening bolts 32l pass through the frame member 2, the mounting plate 23 and the flange 21. In this fashion the frame resiliently supports the mounting stud 22 .adjustably carried by the rubber embedded tubular sleeve 24.

Beyond the sleeve 24 the stud 22 is shouldered and has a reduced extension 33 for attachment to the mounting arm 2l of the torque ball joint. The stud receiving opening in the arm consists of an oversize hole 34 and the opposite faces of the arm adjacent the hole are serrated to seat the serrations in a pair of clamping washers 35 interposed between the stud shoulder and the nut 36 threaded on the end of the extension 33. By this arrangement the serrated clamping washers 35 hold between them the arm 2l in whatever position to which it may be set within the limits of the enlarged opening 34. Before the nut 36 associated with the respective mountings is drawn tight the torque ball joint can be adjusted or shifted vertically to a proper set position. Likewise it can be moved in a horizontal plane for adjustment of the mounting studs 22. tate stud adjustment its outer end may be squared or otherwise formed for gripping engagement by the hand or suitable tool. In the drawing it is shown with a screw driver slot 31. Additionally the drawing illustrates the use of a jam nut 38 for locking the stud in adjusted position.

In use the braking and driving torque of the axle is taken through the rubber cushions connecting to the sociated with the axle third member. thrust transmitted through the torque tube reaches the chassis partially through the torque ball mounting and partially through the rigid tube 4 and power plant mounting. Optionally the arrangement can be such that all driving force is transmitted through the torque ball mounting. It will be apparent that the structure accommodates variation in the position of the torque ball relative to the frame and increases the range of allowable manufacturing tolerances.

I claim:

l. In a motor vehicle, the combination with an axle third member and a chassis member of a universally adjustable connection between the third member and chassis member comprising said members and adjustable in a given direction relative thereto to a selected set position and engageable also with the other member and adjustable relative thereto in a direction angularly related to the iirst mentioned direction of adjustment and means to retain the element and last mentioned member in selective set position.

2. In combination, an axle third member, an axle suspended structure, a connecting device joined to said axle third member for movement relative thereto in one direction, means to set the device in selective adjusted position relative to the member, means joining the device to the axle suspended structure for movement relative thereto in a direction angularly related to the first mentioned direction and means to lock said device in selective set position relative to the axle suspended structure.

3. In a motor vehicle having an axle third member connected to the chassis, a connecting joint arranged for adjustment of the third member relative to the chassis in angularly related directions and a cushion of elastic deformable material incorporated in said joint.

4. In combination, a chassis frame, a drive shaft having a bearing support, a member adjustably connected to the support for adjustment in one direction, the member to the frame for adjustment transversely of the before-mentioned adjustment and insulation material associated with one of the connections.

`5. In a motor vehicle, a propeller shaft ball assembly having a pair of spaced extensions, a mounting stud associated with each extension and projected through an oversize opening therein, means to clamp the stud to the extension in selected position Within said opening, a member threaded on the stud for adjustment of the stud relative thereto, an insulating collar surrounding the member and a frame mounting bracket enclosing said collar.

6. In a motor vehicle, a propeller shaft assembly, a mounting stud shiitable laterally within an oversize opening in the assembly, means to clamp the stud in selected position within the a sleeve threadedly engaging the stud adjustment of the stud, a rubber collar embracing the sleeve and a frame supported bracket containing said sleeve.

'1. In a motor vehicle having a chassis and a propeller shaft assembly to be supported thereby, a cushion connection between the chassis and the assembly capable of longitudinal and transverse adjustment to set the relative position of the chassis and assembly, said connection including a frame bracket enclosing a rubber collar and a sleeve mounted within the collar, a stud threadedly engaged with the sleeve to effect transverse adjustments and projected Vthrough and shiftable within an enlarged opening in the assembly for effecting longitudinal adjustments and means for clamping the stud to the assembly in adjusted position.

8. In a motor vehicle having an axle supported structure, a torque tube ball joint to be mounted thereon, a torque tube connected at its end to an element of the joint, a pair of divergent distance rods connected at one end with said torque tube and adapted for connection at their opposite ends with the axle, and a pair of transversely spaced rubber joints mounting the ball joint in the axle supported structure for' the transmission of axle drive therethrough.

JOHN

ARTHUR NYLAND. 

